Supporting mechanism for vehicle mounting apparatus

Abstract

A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus including a housing settable in a first posture and a second posture. In the first posture, a line extending along a predetermined direction is oriented in the direction of gravitational force. In the second posture, a line intersecting the line extending along the predetermined direction is oriented in the direction of gravitational force. The vehicle mounting apparatus further includes an apparatus body accommodated in the interior of the housing. The supporting mechanism includes a plurality of springs which resiliently connect the apparatus body to the housing. When the housing is in the first and second postures, at least two of the plurality of springs support the apparatus body with respect to the direction of gravitational force, and points connecting the two springs and the apparatus body are disposed on opposite sides of a vertical line passing through the center of gravity of the apparatus body. Therefore, the apparatus body, which does not easily tilt in either of the two housing postures, is stably resiliently supported.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus including a housing settable in a first posture in which a first plane passing through a center of gravity of the apparatus and extending along a predetermined direction is oriented in a direction of gravitational force, and in a second posture in which a second plane passing through the center of gravity and intersecting the first plane is oriented in the direction of gravitational force, and an apparatus body accommodated in the interior of said housing, said supporting mechanism comprising: a plurality of springs for resiliently connecting said apparatus body to said housing, each of said plurality of springs being connected between one of a first side end face and a second side end face of said apparatus body and said housing,   wherein when said housing is set in the first and second postures, at least two of said plurality of springs support each of the first and second side end faces of said apparatus body with respect to the direction of gravitational force, and   wherein connecting points at which the first side end face of said apparatus body is connected to said at least two springs are disposed on opposite sides of said first and second planes in both of the first and second postures and said connecting points of said first side end face do not lie on a line passing through the center of gravity of the apparatus.   
     
     
       2. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting points are disposed at equal distances from the first and second planes in both of the first and second postures. 
     
     
       3. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in both of the first and second postures, said at least two springs apply oblique upward pulling forces to said connecting points, with horizontal pulling force components of said pulling forces applied by said at least two springs being in opposite directions. 
     
     
       4. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of springs are disposed so as to cross one of said first and second planes. 
     
     
       5. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus body comprises an opening for receiving a recording medium inserted therein in a direction of insertion, and wherein a sum of pulling force components of said plurality of springs in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion of the recording medium is greater than sum of pulling force components of said plurality of springs in the direction of insertion of the recording medium. 
     
     
       6. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording medium comprises a plurality of disks contained in a magazine, and wherein said apparatus body further comprises a driving portion which is movably disposed for selecting any one of the plurality of disks contained in the magazine. 
     
     
       7. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of dampers, cooperatively moving with said plurality of springs, which are disposed between one of the first and second side end faces of said apparatus body and said housing, said dampers being disposed on opposite sides of the first and second planes in both of the first and second postures. 
     
     
       8. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus including a housing settable in a first posture in which a first plane passing through a center of gravity of the apparatus and extending along a predetermined direction is oriented in a direction of gravitational forces, and in a second posture in which a second plane passing through the center of gravity and intersecting the first plane is oriented in the direction of gravitational force, and an apparatus body accommodated in the interior of said housing, said supporting mechanism comprising: a plurality of springs for resiliently connecting said apparatus body to said housing, each of said plurality of springs being connected between one of a first side end face and a second side end face of said apparatus body and said housing,   wherein when said housing is set in the first and second postures, at least two of said plurality of springs support each of the first and second side end faces of said apparatus body with respect to the direction of gravitational force,   wherein connecting points at which the first side end face of said apparatus body is connected to said at least two springs are disposed on opposite sides of said first and second planes in both of the first and second postures, and   wherein in both of the first and second postures, said at least two springs apply oblique upward pulling forces to said connecting points, with horizontal pulling force components of said pulling forces applied by said at least two springs being in opposite directions.   
     
     
       9. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the connecting points are disposed at equal distances from the first and second planes in both of the first and second postures. 
     
     
       10. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of springs are disposed so as to cross one of said first and second planes. 
     
     
       11. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus body comprises an opening for receiving a recording medium inserted therein in a direction of insertion, and wherein a sum of pulling force components of said plurality of springs in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion of the recording medium is greater than sum of pulling force components of said plurality of springs in the direction of insertion of the recording medium. 
     
     
       12. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the recording medium comprises a plurality of disks contained in a magazine, and wherein said apparatus body further comprises a driving portion which is movably disposed for selecting any one of the plurality of disks contained in the magazine. 
     
     
       13. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of dampers, cooperatively moving with said plurality of springs, which are disposed between one of the first and second side end faces of said apparatus body and said housing, said dampers being disposed on opposite sides of the first and second planes in both of the first and second postures. 
     
     
       14. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus including a housing settable in a first posture in which a first plane passing through a center of gravity of the apparatus and extending along a predetermined direction is oriented in a direction of gravitational force, and in a second posture in which a second plane passing through the center of gravity and intersecting the first plane is oriented in the direction of gravitational force, and an apparatus body accommodated in the interior of said housing, said supporting mechanism comprising: a plurality of springs for resiliently connecting said apparatus body to said housing, each of said plurality of springs being connected between one of a first side end face and a second side end face of said apparatus body and said housing,   wherein when said housing is set in the first and second postures, at least two of said plurality of springs support each of the first and second side end faces of said apparatus body with respect to the direction of gravitational force,   wherein connecting points at which the first side end face of said apparatus body is connected to said at least two springs are disposed on opposite sides of said first and second planes in both of the first and second postures, and   wherein said plurality of springs are disposed so as to cross one of said first and second planes and said connecting points of said first side end face do not lie on a line passing through the center of gravity of the apparatus.   
     
     
       15. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the connecting points are disposed at equal distances from the first and second planes in both of the first and second postures. 
     
     
       16. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein in both of the first and second postures, said at least two springs apply oblique upward pulling forces to said connecting points, with horizontal pulling force components of said pulling forces applied by said at least two springs being in opposite directions. 
     
     
       17. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said apparatus body comprises an opening for receiving a recording medium inserted therein in a direction of insertion, and wherein a sum of pulling force components of said plurality of springs in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion of the recording medium is greater than sum of pulling force components of said plurality of springs in the direction of insertion of the recording medium. 
     
     
       18. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the recording medium comprises a plurality of disks contained in a magazine, and wherein said apparatus body further comprises a driving portion which is movably disposed for selecting any one of the plurality of disks contained in the magazine. 
     
     
       19. A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a plurality of dampers, cooperatively moving with said plurality of springs, which are disposed between one of the first and second side end faces of said apparatus body and said housing, said dampers being disposed on opposite sides of the first and second planes in both of the first and second postures.